Fuel and air supplying and mixing chamber for internal combustion engines



Oct. 14, 1958 G. v. MUSTAIN 2,856,169

FUEL AND AIR SUPPLYING AND MIXING CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m M mm m 8 Hm m 3 mm mm mm M I w e mm m m e E I {I G Y E B .Q\ W wm %Q\ QT wm m m& N NE mm Bk .7 N mk 5E mm mm mm G. V. MUSTAIN Oct. 14, 195 8 2,856,169 FUEL AND AIR SUPPLYING AND MIXING CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1955 George V Musfain INVENTOR. d052 W MM,

Oct. 14, 1958 G. v. MUSTAIN 2,356,169

FUEL AND AIR SUPPLYING AND MIXING CHAMBER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 7, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 George V. Musfain IN VEN TOR.

BY nu 19% United States Patent FUEL AND AIR SUPPLYING AND MIXING CHAM- BER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES George V. Mustain, Ronceverte, W. Va. Application April 7, 1955, Serial No. 499,953

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 261-51) This invention generally relates to an attachment for an internal combustion engine and more specifically pro vides an improved and novel fuel and air supplying device together with a mixing chamber for thoroughly mixing the fuel and air thereby supplying a combustible mixture to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for supplying the combustion chamber with an adequate combustion mixture during operation of the engine.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved fuelsupplying and mixing device including an elongated housing attached to the intake manifold together with a butterfly valve in the housing and a fuel supply device wherein the fuel supply is controlled simultaneously with the control of the butterfly valve which may be actuated by any suitable throttle rod.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device as set forth in the preceding object in which the relative positions of the butterfly valve and the fuel supply device may be adjusted in order to obtain the optimum fuel and air ratios.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel and air supplying and mixing device in which the fuel admitted into the intake manifold is partially controlled by the vacuum within the intake manifold.

Other important objects of the present invention will reside in its simplicity of construction, location of the fuel suply which eliminates warm-up periods and the choke mechanism eliminates obstruction and gives more effective volume of air and fuel to the intake manifold, smoother operation of the engine at all speeds, eliminates flat spots, increases fuel economy, well adapted for its intended purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction .and operation as more fuly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof,'wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the fuel and air supplying and mixing chamber of the present invention;

Figure 2 is :a longitudinal vertical section taken substantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center of the construction of Figure 1 showing the details of construction thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the control valve for controlling the supply of fuel into device of the present invention;

Figure 4 is an end elevational view taken substantially upon the reference line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the arrangement of the openings for spraying the fuel into the path of the air for eflicient mixing thereof;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the modified form of the present invention with portions thereof being in section to show the structural details of the float controlled fuel supply chamber; and

Figure 6 is a vertical, sectional view taken substantially upon the plane passing along section line 66 of Figure 5 showing further structural details of the modified form of the present invention.

Referring now specifically to Figures 1-4 of the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral 10 generally designat-es the fuel and air supplying and mixing chamber of the present invention for attachment to internal combustion engines having an intake manifold 12. The chamber 10 generally includes an elongated horizontal housing 14 having a vertical portion 16 attached to the intake manifold 12. The housing 14 is provided with a generally circular passageway 18 having a plurality of inwardly extending baffles 20 secured thereto wherein the baflies project inwardly from diametrically opposed surfaces of the opening or passageway 18 and are inclined towards the vertical portion 16 in staggered or alternating relation thereby providing a baflle arrangement for the passage of combustible mixture into the intake manifold 12. A screen member 22 is provided at the upper end of the vertical portion 16 of the housing 14 for completely atomizing the fuel and air mixture as it passes into the intake manifold 12. which has an opening 24 therein which is in communication with the interior of the vertical portion 16 of the housing 14. Disposed below the tubular passage 18 is a horizontally elongated chamber 26 having an inlet passage 28 at one end and an outlet passage 30 at the other end for passage of exhaust gases wherein the wall surface of the passageway 18 may be heated by the exhaust gases thereby further vaporizing the fuel and air mixture provided by the housing 14 as it passes through the tubular passage 18. Adjacent the end of the housing 14 remote from the vertical portion. 16 is an air inlet passageway 32 which may be provided with any suitable type of air filter which is not shown. As illustrated, the air inlet 32 extends vertically from the tubular housing 14 for providing a supply of air into the. interior of the tubular passage 18.

Mounted on a transverse pivot shaft 34 extending diametrically across the tubular passage 18 adjacent the air intake 32 is a butterfly valve 36 in the nature of a circularplate for selectively closing the tubular passage 18. Dis-- posed on the side of the butterfly valve 36 adjacent the. air intake is a fuel supply valve generally designated by the numeral 38 which includes a fuel supply line or conduit 40 connected with :any conventional fuel pump (not shown) and mounted on a bracket 42 and terminating in an end portion 44 having a bevelled inner edge surface 46 as illustrated in Figure 3. A closure cap 48 is slidably positioned over the end 44 of the conduit 44) and the closure cap 43 includes a closed end 56 having a plurality of passages 52 therein that terminate in a plurality of circumferentially spaced spray apertures 54 in the closed end 5% for discharging the fuel from the conduit 40 in substantially an atomized spray. The closure cap 48 is provided with a right angular rigid member 56- attached thereto and extending through a guide 58 on the bracket 42 and thence outwardly through the end wall of the housing 14 through a sealing member 60. The end of the rigid member 56 is provided with a headed portion 62 and a compression spring 64 is disposed between the headed portion 62. and the tubular housing 14 thereby continuously urging the closure cap 48 to a closed position for closing the apertures 54 and the passages 52 by seating the tapered end 46 within the ends of the passages 52. An inwardly extending pointed tapered member 66 is formed integrally with the closure end 50 for forming a seating engagement with the bevelled edge 46 of the end portion 44 of the conduit 40 thereby forming a closure for the conduit 40 when the cap 48 is:-

moved inwardly onto the conduit by movement of the compression coil spring 64.

Projecting outwardly from the end portion of the housing 14 is a right angular bracket 68 having a stop member 70 threaded therethrough wherein a spring 72 is positioned around the stop member for frictionally retaining the stop member 70 in adjusted position on the bracket 68. Pivotally attached to the bracket member 68 is a lever 74 having a rounded end 76 in engagement with the headed end 62 of the rigid member 56 whereby the cap 48 may be opened and closed by pivotal movement of the lever 74. Disposed between the lever member 74 and the stop member 70 is a wedgeshaped member 78 having a shank 8t slidably positioned in a guide bracket 82 mounted on the air intake member 32. The wedge shaped member 78 is provided with a recess 84 adjacent the thickened edge thereof for a purpose described hereinafter. The upper end of the shank 8th is attached to a diaphragm 86 mounted in a diaphragm housing 88 which is attached to a bracket 90 for support thereof. A spring 92 is disposed between the diaphragm 86 and the upper end of the housing 88 and a conduit 94 interconnects the housing 88 and the interior of the housing 14 at a point spaced inwardly of the butterfly valve 36 whereupon vacuum of the tubular passage 18 will cause the diaphragm 86 to move upwardly thereby withdrawing the wedge 78 from between the stop member 78 and the end 76 of the lever 74 whereby the wedge member '78 will afford adequate idling speed for the device so that the cap 48 Will be held slightly open and the butterfly valve 36 will be held in idling open position by the linkage interconnecting lever 74 and shaft 34.

Also connected to the interior of the housing 14 is a conduit 96 which is attached to the spark control (not shown) whereby affording a proper spark advance dependent upon the intake manifold vacuum.

Pivotally mounted to the vertical portion 16 of the housing 14 is a bell crank member 98 having a plurality of apertures 100 in one leg thereof and the other leg thereof is attached to a throttle rod 182. An actuating rod 104 is connected to one of the apertures 100 and is secured to an offset arm 104 mounted on the end of the transverse shaft 34 wherein the arm 104 is provided with a plurality of apertures 106 for adjustably securing the other end of the actuating rod 104. Attached to the offset arm 164 is a circular plate 1 ll8 having a plurality of apertures 110 therein for adjustable connection of a connecting link 112 which is attached to one of a series of apertures 114 mounted on a circular plate 116 that is provided with a projecting pin 118 insertable in the U-shaped end of the lever 74 for actuation of the lever 74 and the control valve 38 simultaneously with actuation of the butterfly valve 36. In operation of the device illustrated in Figures 1-4, air is pulled in through the air intake by reciprocation of the pistons in the usual manner. When the butterfly valve is open, air may pass into the intake manifold and when the needle valve is open, fuel will be discharged through the small apertures 54 in substantially a spray thereby forming a combustible air and fuel mixture for intake into the cylinders for combustion.

The idling position of the fuel valve and butterfly valve is maintained by the wedge-shaped member 78 disposed between the screw threaded stop member '79 and the end of the lever 74 whereby this orientation will hold the fuel valve open and will hold the throttle valve or butterfly valve 36 open by virtue of the interconnecting linkage therebetween. The relationship of the opening of the fuel valve and the throttle valve is determined by the series of apertures in the cam plates to which the interconnecting link 112 is attached so that a difierent air to fuel ratio may be obtained for easier cold weather or hot weather starting and better idling indifferent weather conditions. The vacuum operated diaphragm 86 is for the purpose of determining the idling position of the fuel valve and throttle valve 36 and after the throttle linkage is depressed as when the vehicle is being accelerated, the end of the lever 74 moves away from the wedge-shaped member 78 thus completely disengaging the same whereby the diaphragm 86 then does not have any effect on operation of the fuel valve or throttle valve. It is only when the engine is running at idle speed that the wedge member 78 controls the open idle position of the fuel valve as well as the butterfly valve 36. When the vehicle engine stops and the vacuum within the passage 18 is no longer existent, the spring 92 will urge the reduced portion 84 downwardly into a position in alignment with the inner end of the stop member 78 and the inner end of the lever '74 for permitting complete closure of the fuel valve and throttle valve to prevent overloading of fuel into the passage 18.

Referring now specifically to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, it will be seen that the numeral 120 generally designates the modified form of the present invention which includes a generally vertical tubular housing 122 having an attaching flange 124 at the lower end thereof for attachment to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. Disposed within the tubular housing 122 is a plurality of downwardly inclined and in wardly extending baflles 126 which are disposed in alternating relation and peripherally spaced relation on the interior surface of the tubular housing 122. Each of the baffles 126 is provided with an opening 128 ad jacent the peripheral surface of the housing 122 thereby providing additional turbulence to the fuel and air mixture as it passes through the tubular housing 22. Pivotally mounted within the tubular housing 122 is a throttle valve 138 mounted on a transverse shaft 132 extending therethrough and projecting from the side thereof. I

The shaft 132 is connected at one end to an operating lever 134 which is attached to an actuating rod 136 and provided with an adjustable stop member 138 for controlling the position of the butterfly valve 130.

The other end of the shaft 132 is provided with a screw-threaded portion 140 having a cam 142 thereon for a purpose described hereinafter.

Attached to and along the side the housing 122 is a supply reservoir 144 in communication with a fluid supply 146 and the reservoir 144 is provided with a float 143 pivotally mounted on support pin 150 and the float 148 is provided with an upstanding projection 152 in contact with the inner end of a float valve 154 which is in the form of a needle valve for engaging in the opening 156 in the line 146 thereby selectively opening and closing the passageway 156 for controlling the level of fuel within the rerervoir 144.

Disposed in the reservoir 144 adjacent the lower end thereof is an upwardly opening and extending conduit 158 which extends upwardly and is in communication with the interior of the passageway 122 and secured thereby by fitting 160 whereby the conduit 158 is in communication with the tubular housing 122 below the butterfly valve 130.

Slidably extending through the top of the reservoir 144 is an elongated valve stem 162 having a tapered pointed needle 164 at its lower end which is insertable into the open end of the conduit 158 for selective closing thereof. A transverse projection 166 is disposed adjacent the pointed end 164 and a compression spring 168 is disposed between the transverse projection 166 and the inner surface of thetop member 170 which is removable from the reservoir 144 by fastening members 172. An air balance line and vent 171 interconnects the float bowl and the suction side of the butterfly valve 130. The upper end of the valve stem 162 is threaded as indicated by the numeral 174 and includes a nut 176 thereon.

Upstanding from the closure 170 is a guide bracket 178 having a loop 180 thereon for slidably receiving the bight portion 132 of a U-shaped member having leg members 184 and 186 which are in substantially parallel relation to each other with the leg member 166 surround: ing the threaded portion 74 below the nut 176 and the leg portion 184 engaging the top surface of the cam member 142 for actuation thereby.

It will be seen that by rotation of the cam 142 and the butterfly valve 130, the U-shaped member will be moved upwardly thereby raising the valve stem 162 for lifting the tapered end 164 of the valve stem 162 from the entrance to the conduit 1558 thereby admitting fuel into the intake passageway 122. The operation of the device illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 is somewhat similar to the device illustrated in Figures 1-4 in that opening of the butterfly valve will open the needle valve to permit fuel to be discharged into the air passage so that the air passing therethrough will pick up the fuel and form a combustible air and fuel mixture.

It will be understood that the device of the present invention will provide an optimum fuel and air ratio thereby providing a readily combustible mixture at all speeds and at all conditions of the internal combustion engine. Further, the device provides the fuel in such a manner that the usual clogging of the fuel metering jets will be eliminated since the control for the fuel is primarily carried out by the use of the needle valve in each case.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the appended claims. 1

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fuel and air supplying and mixing device for internal combustion engines having an intake manifold comprising a tubular hollow housing adapted to be attached to the intake manifold in communication with the interior thereof, a plurality of baflies being inclined inwardly and in the direction of flow of the fuel and air mixture into the intake manifold, an air intake opening adjacent the free end of the housing, a butterfly valve pivotally mounted in said housing adjacent the air intake, and means for supplying fuel into the path of movement of air through the housing thereby forming a fuel and air combustion mixture, said fuel supplying means being responsive to the position of the butterfly valve, said butterfly valve being mounted on a transverse shaft, an offset arm on one end of said shaft, an elongated actuating rod adjustably attached to said arm for actuation of said butterfly valve, said fuel supplying means including a supply conduit, a needle valve for controlling the flow of fuel from the conduit, and means adjustably interconnecting the needle valve and actuating rod for simultaneous actuation of the butterfly valve and the needle valve, said needle valve including a beveled inner edge on the end of the supply conduit, a cap slidzably positioned over said end of conduit, said cap having a closed end with a plurality of apertures therein, an inwardly extending tapered plug on the closed end of the cap and extending into the beveled end of the conduit for selecclosing the conduit and permitting fuel to spray through said aperture, spring means normally urging said cap to a closed position, said cap including a rigid member attached thereto for actuation by said interconnecting means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cap and the end of the supply conduit are positioned interiorly of the housing and said rigid member extends through the end of the housing, said interconnecting means including a pivotal lever having one end in engagement with the free end of the rigid member on the cap, an adjustable stop for limiting the closing movement of said lever, and a movable wedge member between said stop and said lever, said wedge being actuated by a diaphragm communicated with the interior of the housing for controlling the idle position of the cap and the butterfly valve through the interconnecting means.

References iiited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES E'ATENTS 1,093,385 Clemmer Apr. 14, 1914 1,140,232 Allen May 18, 1915 1,204,029 Johnson Nov. 7, 1916 1,218,545 Giddens Mar. 6, 1917 1,327,233 Grant Jan. 6, 1920 1,566,382 Dion Dec. 22, 1925 1,623,760 Sieber Apr. 5, 1927 1,720,246 Smith July 9, 1929 1,802,321 Mabee et al Apr. 21, 1931 1,921,282 Cook Aug. 8, 1933 1,974,733 Armstrong Sept. 25, 1934 2,009,992 Beals Aug. 6, 1935 2,247,189 De Guyon June 24, 1941 2,405,563 Enright Aug. 13, 1946 

